1- Millennials want to get married but also want the extra time that comes from a “beta marriage” arrangement to test marriage out. What’s wrong with that?

There is nothing wrong with wanting some time to make a decision such as marriage. What is wrong is to want to “test” marriage out!"Human love does not tolerate trial marriages. It demands a total and definitive gift of persons to one another.” CCC 2391
If we need to test marriage we can have doubts on the depth and truthfulness of our love. When you truly love someone, you do not need any testing.
What kind of message does testing a marriage send?
It says, “I think I love you but I’m not sure. I’m not sure I can stand you each day of our lives, I’m not sure you are the right person for me, I’m not sure we can make it together, I’m not sure I want to start a family with you, I’m not sure I want to fight for our relation.”
Can this be called true love?
When I love, I want to give all, to make the jump, to invest all I am into this relationship, 100%, no matter what comes.

Maybe millenials have a distorted definition of love?
What is love?
The following definition is our favorite: “Love is to want the good of another”, St. Thomas Aquinas.
Love always implies a part of self-sacrifice because true love is self-giving.“To love is to give all and give oneself", St. Therese of the Child Jesus.
Another one, from Robert H. Schuller: “To love is to reveal your soul”.

Love is to want the good of another before your own good, whatever sacrifice it may require. It takes a whole lifetime to learn it. It cannot be “tested” over a few months or years. Marriage is a school of love. And we must work at love each day of our life. Graduation is in heaven.
Love is a lot more than just a feeling. Feelings are not reliable: they come and go. Love remains because love is mainly a decision. “Being in love is something you DO” (C.S. Lewis). I choose this one and I will do everything possible to make him/her happy, whatever happens, whatever the sacrifice, whatever the challenge.... We get married because we love each other, sure, but mainly we get married TO love each other.“Love is not only a feeling; to it also belong the will and the intelligence.”- Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

Choosing to test a marriage out is contrary to love.

The beta marriage is based on the idea that marriage can last only as long as the other person brings ‘me’ something or makes ‘me’ happy. Sexual relations play a big part.
“Premarital or extramarital sex of any kind always makes that language of the body false. Couples who are deeply in love and engage in sex without first having made that marital commitment are simply lying to one another. They may think that they are engaging in an act of love, but the total self-giving that the union of their bodies signifies is belied by their refusal first to make the public commitment that that union demands. That refusal, in turn, is based on many things that are incompatible with the language of their bodies. Is this person the right person for me? Do I really want to spend the rest of my life with her or him? Am I mature enough to accept the responsibilities of this commitment, the responsibilities of a community of life and goods, the responsibilities of parenthood? I’m just doing this to have a good time; I don’t really care about him or her. He or she shouldn’t be so serious about something that is so much fun.”Pastoral Letter, October 17, 2014, Bishop Michael J. Sheridan, Colorado Springs.

About the author

I was born and raised in Burgundy, France. Good wine and good food reign, but the the region is also deeply rooted in Christianity. The number of beautiful roman churches and chapels is amazing. I am number four of five kids: three girls and two boys. I was raised in a practicing Catholic family. I married Christian in 1977 in Burgundy in an 11th century church. We have five beautiful daughters. Two of them still live in France and three are in the US with us. Our two eldest daughters are married, one in Denver, one in France, and each have five children so far. Our third daughter is currently expecting her first baby. After fifteen years in the Catholic Community of the Beatitudes, we dedicated ourselves to the ministry towards the engaged. We have been the Directors of the Office of Marriage and Family Life for the Diocese of Colorado Springs since 2005. We became American citizens in 2010 and now have dual citizenship: French and American. I love to take pictures and to scrapbook, I love drawing and crafts (salt-dough is my best!), hiking and gardening. I am the computer geek for our organization.

I always giggle a little when a couple misunderstands the question on immorality in the online marriage prep course. It’s an understandable misinterpretation: the difference between immorality and i...